Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso decided Wednesday to appoint upper house lawmaker Yoshimasa Hayashi as economic and fiscal policy minister, and lower house lawmaker Motoo Hayashi as chief of the National Public Safety Commission, top government spokesman Takeo Kawamura said.

Yoshimasa Hayashi, former defense minister under former prime minister Yasuo Fukuda, will replace Kaoru Yosano, who doubled the post and finance minister. Yosano will retain the post of finance minister.

The appointments, seen as a move to salvage Aso's declining popularity ahead of the looming election, will become effective Thursday.

Source: Xinhua